Metal Hammer, Kerrang! and Decibel Best Albums of 2013

Welcome to the heavy thursday, with playlists based on end-of-year charts by three established metal magazines: Metal Hammer (Top 50), Kerrang! (Top 25) and Decibel (Top 40). Three different #1 albums: Clutch's Earth Rocker (Metal Hammer), Bring Me The Horizon's Sempiternal (Kerrang!) and Carcass' Surgical Steel (Decibel). Just two albums are present in all charts: Deafheaven's Sunbather (#17, #19, #11) and Watain's The Wild Hunt (#9, #12, #37). Final curiosity that may kill your cat: Kerrang! Top25 is the first end-of-2013 list with 100% albums available on Spotify.

Enjoy.

Complete series of Spotirama end-of-2013 playlists (with charts by Amazon, BuzzFeed, Ibero 90.9, Indiewire, Jazzwise, Les Inrockuptibles, Me Hace Ruido, Mojo, NPR, Panamérika, Paste, Pitchfork, PopMatters, Pretty Much Amazing, Q, Renowned for Sound, Revolver, Rolling Stone, Rough Trade, Stereogum, Uncut, The Wire, XLR8R, Zane Lowe)

METAL HAMMER TOP 50 ALBUMS OF 2013

(full albums, from #1 to #50)

(3 tracks each album, from #1 to #50)

KERRANG! THE ALBUMS THAT ROCKED 2013

(full albums, from #1 to #25)

(3 tracks each album, from #1 to #25)

DECIBEL TOP 40 ALBUMS OF 2013

(full albums, from #1 to #40)

(3 tracks each album, from #1 to #40)

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Full list

Strikethrough albums (4/50, 0/25, 8/40) are not available on Spotify. Some albums may be not available in all countries.

METAL HAMMER TOP 50 ALBUMS OF 2013
1. Clutch - Earth Rocker
2. Carcass - Surgical Steel
3. Black Sabbath - 13
4. Uncle Acid And The Deadbeats - Mind Control
5. Ghost - Infestissumam
6. Bring Me The Horizon - Sempiternal
7. Ihsahn - Das Seelenbrechen
8. Motörhead - Aftershock
9. Watain - The Wild Hunt
10. Steven Wilson – The Raven That Refused To Sing (And Other Stories)
11. Cathedral - The Last Spire
12. Letlive - The Blackest Beautiful
13. In Solitude - Sister
14. Alter Bridge - Fortress
15. Purson - The Circle And The Blue Door
16. The Dillinger Escape Plan - One Of Us Is The Killer
17. Deafheaven - Sunbather
18. Kvelertak - Meir
19. Killswitch Engage - Disarm The Descent
20. The Bronx - The Bronx (IV)
21. Five Finger Death Punch - The Wrong Side Of Heaven…Vols 1 & 2
22. Heart Of A Coward - Severance
23. Malevolence - Reign Of Suffering
24. Nails - Abandon All Life
25. Darkthrone - The Underground Resistance
26. Tesseract - Altered State
27. Philip H Anselmo & The Illegals - WalkThrough Exits Only
28. Wardruna - Yggdrasil
29. Hell - Curse & Chapter
30. Alice In Chains – The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here
31. Cult Of Luna - Vertikal
32. Dream Theater - Dream Theater
33. Oranssi Pazuzu - Valonielu
34. Beastmilk - Climax
35. Twilight Of The Gods - Fire On The Mountain
36. Orchid - The Mouths Of Madness
37. Rotting Christ - Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy
38. Autopsy - The Headless Ritual
39. Avatarium - Avatarium
40. Black Spiders - This Savage Land
41. Jex Thoth - Blood Moon Rise
42. Wilson - Full Blast Fuckery
43. Argus - Beyond The Martyrs
44. Bleed From Within - Uprising
45. HIM - Tears On Tape
46. Satan - Life Sentence
47. Blood Ceremony - The Eldritch Dark
48. The Defiled - Daggers
49. Monster Magnet - Last Patrol
50. Bruce Soord And Jonas Renkse - Wisdom Of Crowds

KERRANG! THE ALBUMS THAT ROCKED 2013
1. Bring Me The Horizon - Sempiternal
2. Biffy Clyro - Opposites
3. Nine Inch Nails - Hesitation Marks
4. Asking Alexandria - From Death To Destiny
5. Avenged Sevenfold- Hail to the King
6. Paramore - Paramore
7. LetLive - The Blackest Beautiful
8. The Wonder Years - The Greatest Generation
9. The Bronx - The Bronx IV
10. Queens of the Stone Age - ...Like Clockwork
11. Tonight Alive - The Other Side
12. Watain - The Wild Hunt
13. Black Sabbath - 13
14. Deaf Havana - Old Souls
15. Alter Bridge - Fortress
16. Pearl Jam - Lightning Bolt
17. Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats - Mind Control
18. Fall Out Boy - Save Rock And Roll
19. Deafheaven- Sunbather
20. State Champs - The Finer Things
21. Nails - Abandon All Life
22. The Defiled - Daggers
23. Panic At The Disco - Too Weird To Live,Too Rare To Die
24. Jamie Lenman - Muscle Memory
25. A Day To Remember - Common Courtesy

DECIBEL TOP 40 ALBUMS OF 2013
1. Carcass - Surgical Steel
2. In Solitude - Sister
3. Gorguts - Colored Sands
4. SubRosa - More Constant Than the Gods
5. Inquisition - Obscure Verses for the Multiverse
6. Cult of Luna - Vertikal
7. Melt-Banana - Fetch
8. Darkthrone - The Underground Resistance
9. Noisem - Agonies Defined
10. Tribulation - The Formulas of Death
11. Deafheaven - Sunbather
12. Toxic Holocaust - Chemistry Of Consciousness
13. Nails - Abandon AllLife
14. Inter Arma - Sky Burial
15. Autopsy - The Headless Ritual
16. Secrets of the Sky - To Sail Black Waters
17. Purson - The Circle and the Blue Door
18. Lycus- Tempest
19. Ihsahn - Das Seelenbrechen
20. The Ruins of Beverast - Blood Vaults: The Blazing Gospel of Heinrich Kramer
21. Antigama - Meteor
22. Kylesa - Ultraviolet
23. Immolation - Kigdom of Conspiracy
24. Exhumed -Necrocracy
25. Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats - Mind Control
26. Oranssi Pazuzu - Valonielu
27. Ulcerate - Vermis
28. Anciients - Heart Of Oak
29. Craven Idol - Towards Eschaton
30. Iron Reagan - Worse Than Dead
31. Portal - Vexovoid
32. Coliseum - Sister Faith
33. Cathedral - The Last Spire
34. Skeletonwitch - Serpents Unleashed
35. Noctum - Final Sacrifice
36. Aevangelist - Omen Ex Simulacra
37. Watain - The Wild Hunt
38. Corrections House - Last City Zero
39. Dark Tranquility - Construct
40. Batillus - Concrete Stain

MusicRadar's The 25 Best Basslines of All Time

This chart is null: as clearly shown in the video above, Chris Wolstenholme is actually Muse guitar & synth player

Friday, 28th October, MusicRadar wrote: "This week has been all about bass on MusicRadar. In celebration, we asked you to nominate your favourite basslines of all time in an effort to crown the greatest bass performance in history. With approximately 10,000 of you voting in our poll, we can now present the top 25 rundown in full. The rules were simple - as long as the part in question was played by human hands on an electric or acoustic bass guitar or an upright bass then it counted. Electronic or synthesized basslines weren't eligible; we'll be looking at those at a later date

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MUSICRADAR'S THE 25 BEST BASSLINES OF ALL TIME
Source: MusicRadar
Songs available on Spotify: 19/25 (76%)
(bass players enclosed in brackets)

1. Hysteria - Muse (Chris Wolstenholme)
2. YYZ - Rush (Geddy Lee)
3. Another One Bites The Dust - Queen (John Deacon)
4. Under Pressure - David Bowie and Queen (John Deacon)
5. Money - Pink Floyd (Roger Waters)
6. Orion - Metallica (Cliff Burton)
7. Billie Jean - Michael Jackson (Louis Johnson)
8. Roundabout - Yes (Chis Squire)
9. My Generation - The Who (John Entwhistle)
10. Schism - Tool (Justin Chancellor)
11. Give it Away - Red Hot Chili Peppers (Flea)
12. The Lemon Song - Led Zeppelin (John Paul Jones)
13. Taxman - The Beatles (Paul McCartney)
14. Good Times - Chic (Bernard Edwards)
15. The Chicken - Jaco Pastorius
16. Walk on the Wild Side - Lou Reed (Herbie Flowers)
17. What's Going On - Marvin Gaye (James Jamerson)
18. Stand By Me - Ben E. King (Wendell Marshall)
19. The Guns of Brixton - The Clash (Paul Simonon)
20. Sweet Emotion - Aerosmith (Tom Hamilton)
21. Super Freak - Rick James (Oscar Alston)
22. Pusherman - Curtis Mayfield (Joseph 'Lucky' Scott)
23. These Boots Are Made For Walking - Nancy Sinatra (Carol Kaye/Chuck Berghofer)
24. In the Midnight Hour - Wilson Pickett (Donald 'Duck' Dunn)
25. Make it Funky - James Brown (Fred Thomas)

Listen to it on Spotify: HTTP, URI. (SR0747)

The Indie Labels Party - 5 new labels (Sub Pop, Secretly Canadian, Merge, Acuarela, Morr)

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Best 20 Albums of 2011. So far. According to NPR & Stereogum. On Spotify.

Justin Vernon/Bon Iver celebrates his #1 on Stereogum making funny noises

Are you ready to say goodbye to the first half of 2011? The july turning point is getting closer and some websites have made their mid-term charts of the best music of the year, so far. For example, two American heavyweights of the digital/musical age like NPR and Stereogum.

NPR's list goes alphabetically and diplomatically from Adele to Wye Oak, covering a wide musical spectrum (pop, rock, jazz, world, James Blake, new age...). Stereogum is more loyal to its indie-rock curriculum and crowns Bon Iver's Bon Iver as best album of the first six months of 2011. Just four albums are included in both charts: by Adele, Bon Iver, Fucked Up and Krallice (the last one, not available on Spotify).

Wanna compare these musical tastes with yours? Enjoy!

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NPR'S 25 FAVORITE ALBUMS OF 2011 (SO FAR)
Source:NPR.
Albums available on Spotify: 18 out of 25 (72%)

Adele, 21
Alexander Tharaud, Scarlatti: Sonatas
Ballake Sissoko & Vincent Segal, Chamber Music
Ben Allison, Action-Refraction
Big K.R.I.T., Return Of 4eva
Bon Iver, Bon Iver
Bright Eyes, The People's Key
Colin Stetson, New History Warfare, Vol. 2: Judges
Demdike Stare, Tryptych
Diego Garcia, Laura
Dominik Eulberg, Diorama
Donnacha Dennehy, Grá agus Bás
E-40, Revenue Retrievin': Overtime Shift
Ebène Quartet, Fiction
Frank Ocean, Nostalgia, ULTRA
F——- Up, David Comes To Life
Gretchen Parlato, The Lost And Found
James Blake, James Blake
Jill Scott, The Light Of The Sun
Julianna Barwick, The Magic Place
King Creosote & Jon Hopkins, Diamond Mine
Krallice, Diotima
Tommy Guerrero, Lifeboats And Follies
tUnE-yArDs, w h o k i l l
Wye Oak, Civilian

Listen to it on Spotify:
Lite (3 tracks each album): HTTP, URI. (SR0703)
Mammoth (full albums): HTTP, URI. (SR0704)



STEREOGUM'S TOP 20 ALBUMS OF 2011 (SO FAR)
Source: Stereogum.
Albums available on Spotify: 15 out of 20 (75%)

20 Puro Instinct – Headbangers In Ecstasy
19 Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues
18 Liturgy – Aesthetica
17 Toro Y Moi – Underneath The Pine
16 Krallice – Diotima
15 Yuck – Yuck
14 Destroyer – Kaputt
13 Smith Westerns – Dye It Blonde
12 Prurient – Bermuda Drain
11 Pure X – Pleasure
10 Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Unknown Mortal Orchestra
09 The Weeknd – House Of Balloons
08 PJ Harvey – Let England Shake
07 Adele – 21
06 Pictureplane – Thee Physical
05 Fucked Up – David Comes To Life
04 Iceage – New Brigade
03 Austra – Feel It Break
02 Gang Gang Dance – Eye Contact
01 Bon Iver – Bon Iver

Listen to it on Spotify:
Lite (3 tracks each album): HTTP, URI. (SR0705)
Mammoth (full albums): HTTP, URI. (SR0706)

Record Store Day 2011: The Indie Labels Party!

Time to celebrate the Record Store Day, again! Last year it was a Nick Hornby extravaganza: the complete High Fidelity's booktrack. This year I spent some time playing with the label search tool in Spotify. The result is a series of 21 playlists, dedicated to the premium content providers of independent record stores: indie labels. And, as a bonus, a little italian mix. Enjoy!

P.S. All these playlists are made using the "label:" search tool. I haven't double-checked the results or made distinctions between produced and distributed albums. Just trusted the Spotify archive people... ;o)

P.S.2 All quotes and logos, below, are from Wikipedia.

P.S.3 The choice of the labels is mine. The songs are the most popular on Spotify (one each artist). Sorry for the guilty exclusions: if you think I forgot some unforgettable labels, tell me and I will organize a Indie Labels Party #2! 

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THE SOUND OF... 

4AD is a British independent record label that was started in 1979 by Ivo Watts-Russell and Peter Kent, funded by Beggars Banquet Records, and is still active today. It now forms part of the Beggars Group, along with Matador Records, Rough Trade Records and XL Recordings. 4AD current recording artists include Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti, The Big Pink, Blonde Redhead, Bon Iver, Camera Obscura, Deerhunter, The National, and Scott Walker.

Bon Iver – Skinny Love
Beirut – Nantes
The National – Bloodbuzz Ohio
Pixies – Where Is My Mind?
TV on the Radio – Wolf Like Me
Stornoway – Zorbing
Thievery Corporation – Lebanese Blonde
Iron & Wine – Walking Far From Home
Twin Shadow – Slow
Lisa Gerrard – Now We Are Free
The Big Pink – Dominos
The Breeders – Cannonball
Camera Obscura – French Navy
Deerhunter – Revival
Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Round And Round
Efterklang – Modern Drift
This Mortal Coil – Song To The Siren
Johann Johannsson – The Sun’s Gone Dim And The Sky’s Turned Black
Dead Can Dance – The Host Of Seraphim
The Mountain Goats – No Children
M Ward – For Beginners
Atlas Sound (feat. Noah Lennox) – Walkabout
Cocteau Twins – Lorelei
Blonde Redhead – 23
Frank Black – I Heard Ramona Sing

Listen to it on Spotify: HTTP, URI. (SR0658)

THE SOUND OF... 

ANTI- is an American record label founded in 1999 as a sister label of Epitaph Records. While Epitaph's focus has shifted over the last decade from mostly punk rock, nowadays ANTI- has a more diverse roster, ranging from hip hop (Sage Francis), reggae (Michael Franti), Soul (Bettye LaVette), folk (The Swell Season), rap-rock (One Day as a Lion), indie rock (Islands), and experimental music (Tom Waits). Headed by Andy Kaulkin, ANTI- first gained attention by releasing Tom Waits' Grammy award winning Mule Variations in 1999. Along with Waits, several veteran recording artists such as rhythm and blues singers Solomon Burke and Bettye LaVette, and Marianne Faithfull have signed onto ANTI- after leaving other major labels.

Youth Group – Forever Young
Devotchka – How It Ends
Tom Waits – Hold On
Spoon – The Underdog
Xavier Rudd – Let Me Be
Solomon Burke – Don't Give Up On Me
Sage Francis – The Best of Times
Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova – The Moon
Neko Case – Hold On, Hold On
Mavis Staples – You Are Not Alone
Dead Man's Bones – Pa Pa Power
Pete Philly & Perquisite – Mystery Repeats
N.A.S.A. – Gifted
Jolie Holland – Old Fashioned Morphine
Los Lobos – Rango Theme Song
The Swell Season – Low Rising
Tricky – Evolution Revolution Love
Hans Zimmer – Rango Suite
The Frames – Falling Slowly
One Day As A Lion – Wild International
Daniel Lanois – Fire
William Elliott Whitmore – Who Stole the Soul
Dr. Dog – Shadow People
Michael Franti & Spearhead – Obama Song
Busdriver – Me - Time

Listen to it on Spotify: HTTP, URI. (SR0659)

THE SOUND OF...

Arts & Crafts Productions is a Toronto-based independent artist services company, offering expertise as an independent record label, management firm, merchandiser, and music publisher both in Canada and internationally. Launched in 2002 with the release of Broken Social Scene's critically acclaimed album, You Forgot It in People, Arts & Crafts has released forty-nine albums from twenty-six artists, earning twelve JUNO Awards along the way. Arts & Crafts is regularly touted as one of Canada's most important record labels.

Broken Social Scene – World Sick
Stars – Your Ex-Lover Is Dead
Gentleman Reg – Wicked Game - Chris Isaak Cover
The Hidden Cameras – In The NA
Dan Mangan – Sold
Young Galaxy – Swing Your Heartache
Constantines – Young Lions - Alternate Version
Forest City Lovers – Minneapolis
Amy Millan – I Will Follow You Into The Dark
The Stills – Everything I Build
The Acorn – Slippery When Wet
Hollerado – Americanarama
Years – The Major Lift
Basia Bulat – My Heart Is A Warning
Small Sins – Why Don't You Believe Me?
Zeus – Fever Of The Time
Friday Morning's Regret – Wooden Sky
Bry Webb and Casey Mecjia – Oh! Sweet Nuthin'
Jason Collett – Love Is A Dirty Word
Brendan Canning – Churches Under The Stairs
Snailhouse – Salvation Army - In Four
The Most Serene Republic – Pink Noise
Evening Hymns – Lanterns
Apostle Of Hustle – Eazy Speaks
Charles Spearin – Anna

Listen to it on Spotify: HTTP, URI. (SR0660)

THE SOUND OF...

Beggars Banquet is an English independent record label that began as a chain of record shops owned by Martin Mills and Nick Austin, and is part of the Beggars Group of labels. In 1977, spurred by the prevailing DIY aesthetics of the British punk rock movement (then at the height of its popularity), they decided to join the fray as an independent label and release records under the Beggars Banquet imprint. The first band on the label was English punk group The Lurkers; the first ever release on the label was The Lurkers' punk classic Shadow/Love Story 7" single. Later in the decade and into the early 1980s, hits with Tubeway Army and Gary Numan secured the label's future.They have since released music by Biffy Clyro, Buffalo Tom, The Charlatans, The Cult, The Go-Betweens, The National and Tindersticks. In 2008, Beggars Banquet became a catalog label only, closed to new signings. Artists that remained on their roster were shifted over to affiliate label, 4AD. The label became the start point for what is now The Beggars Group, an umbrella group of iconic indie record labels. It is the largest and most influential independent group of labels in Europe and 4AD, Matador Records, Rough Trade Records and XL Recordings are the four main labels that now form the group.

The National – Fake Empire
The Cult – She Sells Sanctuary
Gary Numan – Cars
The Charlatans – The Only One I Know
Biffy Clyro – Glitter And Trauma
Bauhaus – She’s In Parties
Peter Murphy – All Night Long
Mark Lanegan – Hit The City
The Go-Betweens – Love Goes On!
Tubeway Army – Are ‘Friends’ Electric?
The Fall – Mansion (remastered)
The Mighty Wah! – The Story Of The Blues Part 1
Buffalo Tom – Taillights Fade
Love and Rockets – So Alive
Dick Dale – Nitrus
Fields Of The Nephilim – Moonchild
Tindersticks – Yesterdays Tomorrows
Luna – Sweet Child O’ Mine (Remastered)
The Bolshoi – Sunday Morning
St. Vincent – Paris Is Burning
The Icicle Works – Love Is A Wonderful Colour
Freeez – I.O.U. (7" Version)
Oceansize – Women Who Love Men Who Love Drugs
Stuart A. Staples – That Leaving Feeling
Freeez – Southern Freeez

Listen to it on Spotify: HTTP, URI. (SR0661)

THE SOUND OF...

Bella Union is an independent record label that was started up by Simon Raymonde and Robin Guthrie in 1997. After releasing records with 4AD for a large part of their career, Cocteau Twins decided to take a step towards independence and started up the Bella Union record label, through which they could release their own work as well as any collaborative efforts. (...) The label fosters bands from a variety of musical genres and is notable for the amount of freedom given to its artists. (...) The label won the 2010 Independent Record Company Of The Year at the Music Week Awards. Previous winners XL Recordings, Rough Trade Records, Domino Records, Ministry of Sound.

Fleet Foxes – Mykonos
Beach House – Zebra
Explosions In The Sky – Your Hand In Mine
Midlake – Roscoe
Laura Veirs – July Flame
Peter Von Poehl – The Story Of The Impossible
Andrew Bird – Oh No
Wavves – King Of The Beach
John Grant – I Wanna Go To Marz
The Walkmen – Angela Surf City
The Low Anthem – Ghost Woman Blues
Peter Broderick – With The Notes In My Ears
Mountain Man – Animal Tracks
Treefight For Sunlight – What Became Of You And I?
J. Tillman – James Blues
Vetiver – Everyday
The Kissaway Trail – New Lipstick
Lawrence Arabia – Apple Pie Bed
Department Of Eagles – While We're Young
Dustin O'Halloran – Opus 20
Howling Bells – Low Happening
The Acorn – Crooked Legs
The Dears – Lost In The Plot
Lone Wolf – Keep Your Eyes On The Road
My Latest Novel – I Declare A Ceasefire

Listen to it on Spotify: HTTP, URI. (SR0662)

THE SOUND OF...

Chemikal Underground is an independent record label set up in 1994 by Glasgow, Scotland rock band The Delgados. It was set up to release their first single, "Monica Webster" / "Brand New Car" and went on to break many new Scottish bands in the nineties. When the second Chemikal Underground single by popsters Bis, The Secret Vampire Soundtrack EP was hugely successful, earning them a slot on Top of the Pops, the label was able to expand. (...) Further success followed in the shape of the debut albums by Mogwai and Arab Strap. Other bands on the Chemikal Underground roster include Magoo, Aereogramme, Cha Cha Cohen, Sluts of Trust, Suckle, the Radar Brothers and more recently Mother and the Addicts and De Rosa, as well as Arab Strap member Malcolm Middleton's solo work.

Roky Erickson – Goodbye Sweet Dreams
Arab Strap – The First Big Weekend
Mogwai – Yes! I Am A Long Way From Home
The Phantom Band – The Howling
The Delgados – I Fought The Angels
Found – Anti Climb Paint
Zoey Van Goey – We Don’t Have That Kind Of Bread
Aereogramme – Barriers
Aidan Moffat – ‘(If You) Keep Me In Your Heart
The Unwinding Hours – Knut
Emma Pollock – I Could Be A Saint
RM Hubbert – Hey There Mr Bone
Mother and the Addicts – Watch The Lines
Malcolm Middleton – Solemn Thirsty
Sister Vanilla – Pastel Blue
Lord Cut-Glass – Look After Your Wife
De Rosa – Cathkin Braes
Cha Cha Cohen – August
Idlewild – The Weight Of Years
Magoo – A To Z And Back Again
Strike The Colours – Message In A Bottle
Kempston – Localised Flooding
James Yorkston – A Calvinist Narrowly Avoids Pleasure
Radar Brothers – Dear Headlights
Sluts Of Trust – That's Right…that Cat's Right

Listen to it on Spotify: HTTP, URI. (SR0663)

THE SOUND OF...

City Slang is an independent record label based in Berlin, Germany. It was created in 1990 by former tour agent Christof Ellinghaus. Its main goal was to provide American, Canadian and German independent artists with a way to distribute their records in the European market, particularly the UK, Germany, Austria and, in some cases, the Netherlands. Arts & Crafts in particular has an established relationship with City Slang including a European office. City Slang's website as well as including a blog featuring the latest news from the label, also offers downloads of the latest songs by the artists.

Wye Oak – Civilian - Single
Herman Düne – My Home Is Nowhere without You
Calexico – Victor Jara's Hands
Caribou – Melody Day
Stars – Your Ex-Lover Is Dead
Altrice – Siphon Away
The Album Leaf – Always For You
The Notwist – Consequence (Album Version)
Port O'Brien – I Woke Up Today
Health – Die Slow
Menomena – Queen Black Acid
Lambchop – Is A Woman
Nada Surf – See These Bones
Kurt Wagner & Cortney Tidwell Present KORT – Picking Wild Mountain Berries
Wallis Bird – Just can't get enough
Malajube – Ursuline
Tu Fawning – The Felt Sense
Dear Reader – Great White Bear
Alexi Murdoch – Towards The Sun
Toy Fight – Your Own Fireworks
Get Well Soon – Listen! Those Lost At Sea Sing A Song On Christmas Day
Schneider Tm – Pac Man / Shopping Cart
Royal Bangs – New Scissors
Barbara Panther – Empire
Sophia – Where Are You Now

Listen to it on Spotify: HTTP, URI. (SR0664)

THE SOUND OF...

Dischord Records is a Washington, D.C.-based independent record label specializing in the independent punk music of the D.C.-area music scene. The label is co-owned by Ian MacKaye and Jeff Nelson, who founded Dischord in 1980 to release Minor Disturbance by The Teen Idles.The label is most notable for having maintained a strict do-it-yourself ethic, producing all of its albums by itself and selling them at discount prices without the help of major distributors.Dischord continues to release records by bands from Washington D.C., and to document and support the Washington D.C. music scene.

Fugazi – Turnover
Minor Threat – Straight Edge
Q And Not U – Wonderful People
Dag Nasty – Values Here
Embrace – Give Me Back
Teen Idles – Get Up and Go - Version
Rites of Spring – For Want of
VOID – Who Are You??
Shudder To Think – Red House
Jawbox – Freezerburn
Untouchables – Steppin' Stone
S.O.A. – Draw Blank - Version
Scream – Search for Employment
Rozzlyn Rangers – Rozzlyn Rangers
Nation of Ulysses – Spectra Sonic Sound
Government Issue – Snubbing
Faraquet – Cut Self Not
The Evens – Cut from the Cloth
Gray Matter – Burn No Bridges
Lungfish – Black Helicopters
Faith – No Choice - Version
Marginal Man – Manipulator
Black Eyes – A Pack of Wolves
Medications – Or At Least As Bad
Bluetip – Nickelback

Listen to it on Spotify: HTTP, URI. (SR0665)

THE SOUND OF...

Domino Recording Company, generally known as Domino Records, is an independent record label based in London.  (...) Founded in 1993, by Laurence Bell and his partner Jacqui Rice, the label's first release was the Sebadoh EP Rocking the Forest, licensed from Sub Pop records for release in the UK. Many of the early releases were by American artists who in the USA were signed to Drag City (Smog, Will Oldham, Royal Trux), a relationship which continues to this day. Success was not immediate, as labels such as Domino, who were releasing more established American rock and unusual British music, were marginalised during the Britpop era, but a steady stream of new signings gave the label increasing credibility. Recent high profile releases from Franz Ferdinand, Arctic Monkeys, and The Kills have only acted as a catalyst to this, and Domino is now one of the longest running and most successful independent record labels in the UK.

Arctic Monkeys – Mardy Bum
Franz Ferdinand – No You Girls
Elliott Smith – Angeles
Animal Collective – My Girls
Four Tet – Angel Echoes
The Villagers – Becoming A Jackal
Anna Calvi – Rider To The Sea
Junior Boys – In the Morning
Wild Beasts – All The King's Men
Tricky – UK Jamaican
Pavement – Gold Soundz
The Last Shadow Puppets – The Age Of The Understatement
Dirty Projectors – Stillness Is The Move
Mulatu Astatke – Yègellé Tezeta
The Count & Sinden featuring Mystery Jets – After Dark
These New Puritans – We Want War
Orange Juice – Rip It Up
Jon Hopkins – Light Through The Veins
Malachai – Snowflake
The Kills – No Wow
Owen Pallett – Lewis Takes Off His Shirt
Bonde Do Role – Solta O Frango
Karen Dalton – Something On Your Mind
Cass McCombs – Dreams-Come-True-Girl
James Yorkston – Would You Have Me Born With Wooden Eyes?

Listen to it on Spotify: HTTP, URI. (SR0666)

THE SOUND OF...

Epitaph Records is a Hollywood, California based independent record label owned by Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz. The label was originally "just a logo and a P.O. box" created in the 1980s for the purpose of selling Bad Religion records, but has evolved into a large independent record label. Gurewitz took the name from a King Crimson song of the same name. Throughout the 80s and 90s most of the bands on Epitaph were punk and pop punk groups, while there are many post-hardcore and emo bands signed to the label too. A large portion of the record label, known as Hellcat Records, is owned by Tim Armstrong, frontman of the punk rock band Rancid. Several sister-labels also exist, such as ANTI-, Burning Heart Records, Fat Possum Records, Hellcat Records and Heart & Skull Records that have signed other types of bands.

The Offspring – Self Esteem
Escape The Fate – Ashley
The Hives – Hate To Say I Told You So
Youth Group – Forever Young
Raised Fist – Friends & Traitors
Parkway Drive – Carrion
Turbonegro – All My Friends Are Dead
Promoe – These Walls Don't Lie
Bad Religion – 21st Century
Story Of The Year – The Antidote
Devotchka – How It Ends
Dropkick Murphys – The Green Fields Of France
Millencolin – No Cigar
Weezer – Memories
Rancid – Time Bomb
Tom Waits – Hold On
Refused – New Noise
Looptroop – Long Arm Of The Law
NOFX – Bob
Twisted Sister – The Kids Are Back
Pennywise – Bro Hymn
Atmosphere – Trying To Find A Balance
Moneybrother – They're Bulding Walls Around Us
Joe Strummer – Mondo Bongo
Social Distortion – Machine Gun Blues

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Fat Cat Records is an independent label based in Brighton on England’s South Coast. Their output ranges from electronica, post rock, indie, downtempo, minimal techno, noise and punk-pop. Artists of particular note signed to the label are Sigur Rós, Múm, Animal Collective, Frightened Rabbit, The Twilight Sad and Vashti Bunyan.

Bon Iver – Skinny Love
Beirut – Nantes
The National – Bloodbuzz Ohio
Pixies – Where Is My Mind?
TV on the Radio – Wolf Like Me
Stornoway – Zorbing
Thievery Corporation – Lebanese Blonde
Iron & Wine – Walking Far From Home
Twin Shadow – Slow
Lisa Gerrard – Now We Are Free
The Big Pink – Dominos
The Breeders – Cannonball
Camera Obscura – French Navy
Deerhunter – Revival
Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Round And Round
Efterklang – Modern Drift
This Mortal Coil – Song To The Siren
Johann Johannsson – The Sun’s Gone Dim And The Sky’s Turned Black
Dead Can Dance – The Host Of Seraphim
The Mountain Goats – No Children
M Ward – For Beginners
Atlas Sound (feat. Noah Lennox) – Walkabout
Cocteau Twins – Lorelei
Blonde Redhead – 23
Frank Black – I Heard Ramona Sing

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Jagjaguwar is an indie rock record label based in Bloomington, Indiana.

Bon Iver – Blood Bank
Okkervil River – Lost Coastlines
The Cave Singers – Swim Club
Gayngs – The Gaudy Side of Town
Black Mountain – The Hair Song
Small Black – Despicable Dogs
Lia Ices – Love is Won
S. Carey – In The Dirt
Wolf People – Tiny Circle
Volcano Choir – Island, IS
Pink Mountaintops – While We Were Dreaming
Sunset Rubdown – Idiot Heart
Parts & Labor – Fake Names
Lightning Dust – Antonia June
The Besnard Lakes – Albatross
Women – Eyesore
Julie Doiron – Spill Yer Lungs
Peter Wolf Crier – Hard As Nails
Swan Lake – Paper Lace
Eau Claire Memorial Jazz I, Featuring Justin Vernon – Lump Sum
Ladyhawk – The Dugout
Oneida – Up With People
Richard Youngs – It Soon Will Be Fire
Moonface – Dreamland EP: marimba and shit drums
The Skygreen Leopards – Disciples Of California

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Kitty-Yo is a German record label specializing in quirky pop and electronica. It was founded in 1994 in Berlin following the creation of an independent zine of the same name. The label began by publishing music for Surrogat, Patrick Wagner's group project, and got the attention of John Peel and Steve Albini. Since their inception, Kitty-Yo albums and singles have been distributed worldwide, gaining a college radio following in the United States. Their first charting record was Kante in 2000, and would later release records by artists such as Taylor Savvy, Peaches, Maximilian Hecker, Couch, Chikinki, The Michelles and Raz Ohara.

Louie Austen – Hoping (Herbert's High Dub)
Maximilian Hecker – Dying
Jeans Team – Baby 3
Jahcoozi – Fish
Man Like Me – Oh My Gosh
Richard Davis – Honest With You
Gonzales – Let's Groove Again
Jay Haze – I Can Love You Feat. D:exter
Sportsguitar – Happy Already
Jimi Tenor – Beyond The Stars
Tarwater – All Of The Ants Left Paris
Codec & Flexor – Do What You Want
Sex In Dallas – Lost In La Playa
Raz Ohara – Liberian Girl
Rhythm King And Her Friends – Get Paid Smash Up Mix By Robots In Disguise/I Am X
Rechenzentrum – Absent Minded
Ametsub – Purple Remix
Chikinki – Ether Radio Litwinenko Remix
The Michelles – Springtime
To Rococo Rot – Kritische Masse 1
The Tape vs. RQM – Innocent (e.stonji Remix)
Taylor Savvy – She's Got It
E.stonji – Pantonal Remix
NQ – Mewq Aquatic Deserts Mix
Ed Laliq – Love Can Make You Blind

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Matador Records is an independent record label, with a roster of indie rock artists and bands. Matador was started by Chris Lombardi in 1989 in his New York City apartment. The following year, Lombardi was joined by former Homestead Records manager Gerard Cosloy, and the two of them have run it together since. In 1993, the label began a partnership with Atlantic Records which lasted for a couple of years. Then in 1996, Capitol Records purchased a 49 percent stake in Matador, but Lombardi and Cosloy bought it back in 1999. It has been co-owned by the Beggars Group since 2002 and now operates in both New York and London.

Cat Power – The Greatest
Spoon – I Turn My Camera On
Kurt Vile – Jesus Fever
The New Pornographers – Moves
Boards of Canada – Roygbiv
Yo La Tengo – You Can Have It All
Pizzicato Five – Twiggy Twiggy/Twiggy vs. James Bond
Sonic Youth – Sacred Trickster
Julian Plenti – Only If You Run
Mogwai – I’m Jim Morrison, I’m Dead
Pavement – Stereo
Esben and the Witch – Marching Song
Perfume Genius – Learning
Harlem – Someday Soon
Shearwater – Rooks
Nightmares On Wax – Fire In The Middle
The Cave Singers – Dancing On Our Graves
Cold Cave – Love Comes Close
Cornelius – Drop
Non Phixion – Refuse To Lose
Fucked Up – Son The Father
Jay Reatard – It Ain’t Gonna Save Me
Guided by Voices – Game Of Pricks
Arsonists – Venom
Jon Spencer Blues Explosion – Talk About The Blues

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[PIAS] Recordings is the recorded music division of the [PIAS] Entertainment Group, a European independent artist and label services company. The record labels that operate under the [PIAS] Recordings umbrella are: Play It Again Sam, Wall of Sound and Different Recordings. Aside from the three London based labels, [PIAS] Recordings has local A&R operations in France, Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands, Spain and the United States, signing local artists such as Miossec and The Chase in France, Gisbert Zu Knyphausen in Germany, Gabriel Rios and Daan in Belgium, Racoon in Holland and Ojos de Brujos from Spain.

Crystal Castles – Untrust us
Vetusta Morla – Copenhague
Russian Red – Cigarettes
Jurassic 5 – CONCRETE SCHOOLYARD
Rodrigo y Gabriela – Tamacun
Agnes Obel – Riverside
Dorian – Cualquier Otra Parte
Morcheeba – Crimson
Justin Nozuka – After Tonight
Sigur Ros – Sigur 1 (Untitled)
Editors – Papillon
Nouvelle Vague – Ever Fallen In Love
Tunng – Bullets
Joan As Police Woman – The Magic
CocoRosie – Lemonade - Edit
Múm – Green Green Grass Of Tunnel
El Chojin – Rie Cuando Puedas
Mogwai – Auto Rock
Kraak & Smaak – Squeeze Me
Dinosaur Jr. – Pieces
DePedro – Como El Viento
Soulwax – Krack
Junior Jack – Stupidisco
Catpeople – In Silence
Everlast – Folsom Prison Blues

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Polyvinyl Record Co. is an American independent record label based in Champaign, Illinois. It has released notable records by Of Montreal, Japandroids, Braid, Mates of State and many others.

Of Montreal – I Feel Ya' Strutter
Loney Dear – Ignorant Boy, Beatiful Girl
Starfucker – Julius
Japandroids – Younger Us
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin – Back in the Saddle
Deerhoof – Super Duper Rescue Heads !
American Football – Never Meant
Asobi Seksu – Trails
Architecture In Helsinki – Heart it Races (Trizzy's Rusty Tin Can Mix)
Owen – Abandoned Bridges
Love Is All – Bigger Bolder
Saturday Looks Good To Me – Since You Stole My Heart
Mates of State – Goods
Headlights – Get Going
Sharon Van Etten – I'm Giving Up On You
Braid – This Charming Man
Disappears – Guider
Joan Of Arc – A Tell-Tale Penis
Tu Fawning – Out Like Bats
Rainer Maria – Breakfast of Champions
Sunday's Best – Saccarine
Physical Forms – On the Brink
The Ivory Coast – Swope
Aloha – Moonless March
Pele – The Mind of Minolta

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Rough Trade Records is an independent record label, based in London, United Kingdom. It was started in 1978 by Geoff Travis. Rough Trade specialised primarily in European post-punk and other alternative rock of the late 1970s and early 1980s. (...) Rough Trade was an independently owned entity, a partnership between Travis, Jeanette Lee (a former member of Public Image Ltd.), and minority partners Sanctuary Records, as a part of the Zomba Group until June 11, 2002 when BMG bought out this business. In July 2007 Sanctuary Records then sold Rough Trade to the Beggars Group making Rough Trade independent once again. Since its re-birth, Rough Trade has released albums by high-charting artists such as The Strokes, The Libertines, Babyshambles, and Belle & Sebastian.

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros – Home
Antony & The Johnsons – Hope There's Someone
Belle and Sebastian – I Want The World To Stop
Sufjan Stevens – For The Windows In Paradise, For The Fatherless In Ypsilanti
Warpaint – Undertow
Emiliana Torrini – Jungle Drum
The Libertines – Don’t Look Back Into The Sun
The Decemberists – Don’t Carry It All
The Moldy Peaches – Anyone Else But You
Babyshambles – Fuck Forever
My Morning Jacket – Touch Me I’m Going To Scream Pt. 2
Mystery Jets – Serotonin
Glasser – Apply
Alexander – Truth
Taken By Trees – Sweet Child O' Mine
Forest Fire – Fortune Teller
The Morning Benders – Excuses
Django Django – Storm
Pantha Du Prince – Lay In A Shimmer
Albert Hammond, Jr. – In Transit
Dylan LeBlanc – If The Creek Don’t Rise
The Strange Boys – Be Brave
British Sea Power – Who’s In Control
Emmy The Great – We Almost Had A Baby
The Phenomenal Handclap Band – 15 To 20

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Too Pure is a London, United Kingdom-based independent record label that was formed in 1990 by Richard Roberts and Paul Cox. Too Pure is affiliated closely with the Beggars Group and from 1998 was run by Jason White, formerly of Foundry Records, following the departure of founder Richard Roberts. On July 7, 2008, it was announced on its Web site that Too Pure "is no more" and that "the artists currently on those labels will be released through 4AD," yet it will continue operating its Too Pure Singles Club.

Voodoo Queens – Supermodel - Superficial
Tracy + The Plastics – Henrietta
Tim Gane & Sean O’Hagan – La Vie d’Artiste (Generique)
The Octopus Project – Wet Gold
Th’ Faith Healers – This Time
Stereolab – Super Falling Star
Snuff – Do Nothing
Shooting At Unarmed Men – Girls Music
Seefeel – Time To Find Me (afx Fast Mix)
Scout Niblett – Kiss
Scala – Slide
Pram – Loose Threads
PJ Harvey – Dress
Organ – Brother
Murry The Hump – Thrown Like A Stone
Mouse On Mars – Frosch
Monade – Lost Language
Mclusky – Lightsabre Cocksucking Blues
Lonelady – Early The Haste Comes
Laika – Black Cat Bone
Jack – 3 o’ clock In The Morning
It Hugs Back – Early Evening
Future Of The Left – Manchasm
Electrelane – To The East
Die! Die! Die! – Sideways Here We Come

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Warp, commonly referred to as Warp Records, is a pioneering independent English record label, founded in Sheffield in 1989, notable for discovering some of the more enduring artists in electronic music. Founded by Steve Beckett and the late Rob Mitchell from their experiences working at the FON record store, alongside record producer, Robert Gordon, the label (whose name was chosen because the original name, 'Warped Records' was difficult to distinguish over the telephone) soon became home to artists who would be influential in electronic music.

Grizzly Bear – Knife
Maxïmo Park – Books From Boxes
Bibio – lovers’ carvings
Battles – Atlas
Jamie Lidell – Little Bit of Feel Good
Born Ruffians – Hummingbird
The Hundred In The Hands – Commotion
Flying Lotus – Breathe Something / Stellar Star
Gang Gang Dance – House Jam
Hudson Mohawke – FUSE
CSS – Knife - Cover Version - Original by Grizzly Bear
Nightmares On Wax – Da Feelin
Band of Horses – Plans - Cover Version - Original By Grizzly Bear
Broadcast – I Found The F
Gonjasufi – Ancestors
Rustie – Inside Pikachu's Cunt
Squarepusher – Star Time 2
Aphex Twin – Children Talking
!!! – AM/FM
Autechre – Altibzz
PVT – Window
Gravenhurst – Nicole
Clark – Ted
Nice Nice – See Waves
Seefeel – Faults

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XL Recordings is a British independent record label which was launched by Tim Palmer, Nick Halkes and Richard Russell with Beggars Banquet Records in 1989 to release its rave and dance music. The label has grown into one of the most commercially successful and influential independent record labels in the world.

Adele – Rolling In The Deep
M.I.A. – Paper Planes
The White Stripes – Seven Nation Army
Vampire Weekend – White Sky
Prodigy – Smack My Bitch Up
Ratatat – Wildcat
Basement Jaxx – Good Luck (Feat Lisa Kekaula)
The Raconteurs – Steady, As She Goes
Electric Six – Gay Bar
Tyler, The Creator – Yonkers
Dizzee Rascal – Fix Up, Look Sharp
Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie xx – I’ll Take Care Of U
Jack Penate – Pull My Heart Away
The Avalanches – Frontier Psychiatrist
Devendra Banhart – Santa Maria De Feira
Peaches – Fuck The Pain Away
Thom Yorke – Black Swan
The Radio Dept. – Strange Things Will Happen
Friendly Fires – Paris
Giggs – Look What The Cat Dragged In
The Horrors – Who Can Say
Badly Drawn Boy – Something To Talk About
Karen Elson – The Ghost Who Walks
Lemon Jelly – Space Walk
Cajun Dance Party – Amylase

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ITALIAN INDIE

Some months ago, I published my personal Top69 italian alternative rock chart (including songs from 90s and 00s). Now it's time for something different: this is a selection of young italian artists and indie labels. Almost all the songs are from the latest two years, some from 2011. Let's say, this is a little photograph of the new wave of italian indie.

(Urtovox Label & Promotion)
A Toys Orchestra – Celentano
Cesare Basile – L'Ordine del Sorvegliante
Beatrice Antolini – Piece Of Moon
(Santeria)
Perturbazione – Buongiorno Buonafortuna
Paolo Benvegnù – Il Mare Verticale
Gatto Ciliegia Contro Il Grande Freddo – Non C'è Più Caffè
(La Tempesta Dischi)
Le Luci Della Centrale Elettrica – Quando tornerai dall'estero
Tre Allegri Ragazzi Morti – Il Mondo Prima
Zen Circus – Andate Tutti Affanculo
Il Teatro Degli Orrori – La Canzone Di Tom
Il Pan Del Diavolo – Pertanto
Sick Tamburo – Parlami per sempre
Giorgio Canali – Nuvole Senza Messico
Moltheni – Petalo
Massimo Volume – Litio
Uochi Toki – Il Ladro
(Ghost Records)
Dente – La presunta santità di Irene
The Mojomatics – Miss Me When I'm Gone
Calibro 35 – Convergere in giambellino
Canadians – A Great Day
Hot Gossip – Everybody Else
(Trovarobato)
Mariposa – Pterodattili
(Tamburi Usati)
Marta Sui Tubi – Cinestetica
Il disordine delle cose – L'astronauta
(Anna the Granny)
Carlot-ta – Make me a picture of the sun

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